Marking strip



Mgy 29, 1951 v. l. zUcK 2,555,299

MARKING STRIP Filed April 1, 1947 w 5w/m C??? Patented May 29, 1951 MARKING STRIP Victor I. Zuck, Kenmore, N. Y., assigner to The- Rudolph Wurlitzer Company,

North Tonawanda, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application'April. 1, 1947, Serial No. 738,747

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to musical instruments and particularly to air-driven vibrating-reed type organs.

An object of the invention is to facilitate the assembling. and servicing of vibrating reed organs andv similar musical instruments by the provision of novel markings. for visual identication of the musical notes produced by the various.. reeds'.

In electric organs of the reed type it is customary to dispose all of the reeds pertaining to a given organ stop in a rank or block of cells. Eachreed cellis equipped with electrical pickup means for applying to the sound-reproducing apparatus. of.' the instrument electrical signals corresponding to the musical note that is produced by vibration of the reed inthe cell. The electrical pickup devices commonly are in the form of stationary condenser plates, each constituting an element of a condenser microphone, the other or movable element of the microphone comprising the vibratory reed. The positions of the stationary condenser plates relative to their cooperating reeds are adjusted by means of adjusting screws that extend through an insulating strip mounted on the reed cell block. The insulating strip extends the entire length of the row of reed cells for that particular organ stop.

One of the further objects of the invention is to provide, on the aforesaid insulating strip, musical note or pitch indicia of permanent character identifying the various reeds in the block. Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved insulating strip on which are indicated the notes of the various reeds that are in circuit with the stationary elements mounted on or adjacent to the strip.

A still further object is to provide a lettered insulating strip of novel design to indicate the ascending or descending values of the notes in a given stop that are picked up by a rank of microphones in an electric organ.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specication when taken in connection with vthe accompanying drawing wherein a certain preferred embodiment is set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. Y1 is a rear elevation of a typical electric organ to which the principles of the present invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is an end view oi the organ, showing certain components thereof in dotted outline;

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the adjusting screws of an octave of tuned microphones in the electric organ in conjunction with a lettered insulating strip embodying my invention; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a. cell block showing an individual reed cell there- The electric organ disclosed herein is an example of one type of organ in which the improvements effected by the present invention may be utilized.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the organ comprises a .frame l0 containing the various reed cell blocks, a Wind chest l2 communicating with the cell block frame l0 through the intermediary of a pallet structure (not shown), a blower or air compressor indicated generally 'at i4, and the sound-reproducing apparatus or ampliiier indicated generally at I6.

Musical notes are produced by vibratory reeds which are disposed in reed cell blocks such as the block I8 fragmentarily illustrated in Fig. 4. Each of these reeds is carried by an electrically conductive pouch or frame as 20, Fig. 4, which is adapted to be slid endwise into or out of the cell 22. The heel end 24 of each reed frame 20 protrudes from the cell block I8 so that it is exposed to view. A closure member known as a mute, indicated at 26, generally is provided to seal the opening through which the reed frame 20 is inserted into the cell 22, when the reed is in its normal position of use. A conductive strip 21 extends beneath and is in contact with the heels 24.

As described hereinabove, each reed constitutes a movable element of a condenser microphone. The stationary element or plate (not shown) of each microphone is supported by an adjusting screw as 28, Fig. 4, which projects through a suitable clearance opening in the wall of the cell block I8 and is threaded through an insulating strip 36 that extends for substantially the entire length of the cell block. A nut 30 threaded on the protruding portion of the screw 28 bears upon a lock washer 32. Bus bars 34, Figs. 3 and 4, which extend from each nut 30 to the next to keep all microphones of the rank in electrical contact with one another, are clamped between the washers 32 and the insulating strip 36, clearance openings being provided in the bars 34 for the adjusting screws 28. It will be understood, of course, that while the conductive stripping is illustrated as including individual bars or links 34, they may be replaced by continuous strips each accommodating, say, eight or more tone screw connections.

As each reed is set in vibration, it produces a, variation in electrical voltage between the conductors 21 and 34 in accordance with the musical pitch of the reed. These electrical signals are amplified by the amplier I6 and the sound is reproduced by a loudspeaker or like device (not shown).

In carrying out the principles of the present invention, the insulating strip 36, Figs. 1, 3 and 4, is provided with markings or indicia 40 respectively denoting the musical notes produced by the various reeds in the cell block I8. Preferably, each letter or character 40 is disposed adjacent the adjusting screw 28 that extends into the particular reed cell 22, The musical pitch may also be marked on the visible heel portion 24 of each reed frame 20, as shown in Fig. 4.

The pitch or note identication marks as 40 may consist of letters in combination with symbols such as Sharps or the like, where required, in accordance with conventional musical notation. I prefer to make the pitch marks in relief to enable production of the insulating strip 36 in a simplified plastic mold, but as some insulating materials are more susceptible to depressed markings, I propose to employ intaglio characters when necessary or suitable.

It is apparent that I have provided a highly reliable means of identifying musical notes corresponding to parts such as the vibratory reeds in an electric organ, thereby facilitating speedy and accurate work on such an instrument. I do not limit myself in the application of my system of pitch marking to the microphones of such an organ, since pitch identiiication of key switches, connector junctions and the like are equally im- 4 portant in an electric organ and serve the identical purposes herein set forth. Hence, I may mold similar marks in the plastic insulation of interconnecting members and terminal members of circuits Without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An electric organ comprising a plurality of vibratile reeds arranged in lateral juxtaposition to form an elongated reed bank, each reed forming part of an electric tone generating unit of predetermined musical pitch, a plurality of electric circuit elements arranged in lateral juxtaposition and associated respectively with said tone generating units, conductor stripping electrically interconnecting said circuit elements, and an elongated strip of insulating material supporting said circuit elements and said conductor stripping and disposed beneath said conductor stripping with portions thereof projecting beyond the said conductor stripping and carrying permanent indicia to identify each element according to the tone frequency generated by its corresponding tone generating unit.

2. An electric organ as deined in claim 1, wherein the elongated strip of insulating material is molded, and said identifying indicia are molded therewith as a permanent part thereof.

- VICTOR I. ZUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,015,014 Hoschke Sept. 1'7, 1935 2,229,759 Mohler Jan. 28, 1941 

